Automatic air and steam hose coupling



L. LE BARON AND A. C. HARRELL.

AUTOMATIC AIR AND STEAM HOSE COUPLING.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 21, 1919.

1,359,395. Patented NOV-16,1920.

2 SHEETSSHEET l.

Lennard ['flamiz L. LE BARON AND A. c. HARRELL. AUTOMATIC m AND smm HOSE comma.-

APPLICATIONJILED NOV. 21, I9I9- Patented Nov. 16, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

I 71082222753 lmmrd Zefiamn, Q'Q? A 6'. Harrell. 9 W Y gm flZbrwa UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

' LEONARD LE BARON. AND ARTHUR .C. HARRELL, OF PENSACOLA, FLORIDA AUTOMATIC .AIBAND STEAM H0 I ELil sp c mn of tte srat n Patented-Nova16,119.20;

Application filed November 21, 191?, Serial No.339, 75.

United States, both-residing at Pensacola,

in the county of Escambia and State of Florida, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Air and Steam HoseCouplings; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The present invention relates to improve ments in automatic air and steam hose couplings for railway carsiand the like, and the object thereof is to provide a coupling, adapted to make an, effective air-tight joint between the couplingheads when the same are in the coupled position and to yieldingly hold such coupling heads close togetherand to provide improved means for causing the interengagement of the coupling heads.

In the accompanyingdrawings forming a part of this application, and in which similar reference symbols indicate correspondingparts in the several views:

Figure 1 is a view-partly in elevation and partly in section of .an improved automatic air and steam hose coupling shown in the coupled position;

Fig. 2is an end viewof one of the coupling cylinders showing the air pipe in section;

Fig. 3 is an end view of'one of thecou Fi the oupling heads shown in theengaged positionfand Fig- 5 is a perspectivev ew f hee oup ing heads. i

Referring more-particularly to the drawings, 1 and 2designate two, cylinders secured near the ends oftwocars that are coupled together, and 3 and 4 indicate metallic straps for hanging the cylinders to the car bottoms; although it'will be understood that these cylinders land 2 may be supported on the under frames or other portions of the cars by the use of other appropriate means.

In each cylinder is arranged a coil spring 5, which bears at one'end against a fixed head 6 and at its other end against a reciprocating piston or plunger 7. The spring 5 tends to constantly and yieldingly force the piston or plunger? in one direction;

in thesect on2 .portion. i gt he piston 4 is a planview, partly in section, of

7 being :yieldingly projected in a right hand direct1on, while in theelevational portion of this Fig. 1 the piston inthe cylinder 2 is yleldlngly forced by its coil spring a left hand direction. The sprin s 5f are intended to yieldingly. holdthe gas ets of the coupling heads in a compressed condition whereby a leak'proof joint will be afiorded." Slldable through each ofthe cylinders 1 and'2 are the sections 8"and 9 of train pipe coupled at their far ends to the brake mechanism ofthe car in the usual manner, and carrying at their meeting ends the coupling heads. Collars 10 are hired by set screws 11 to thetrain pipe sections 8and '9 at one side of the plungers 0r pistons 7 so that the coil springs 5 may project the train pipe sections and coupling heads by thepistons striking against the collars 10.' T

Sleeves 12 and 13 surround'slidable pipe sect ns d h s sleev s hav g flanges let and 15 which are formed with or otherwise secured to spiders 16 projecting across the inner ends of thecylinders land 2'. The arrangement ofthe spiders 16,1eaves the adjacent ends of bothcylinders open, so that the pistons or flanges 7 will-not compress air, which would interfere with their operation. On the outer ends .of thesleeves 12 and 13 are complemental cufli's .1? and'lS,

each cuif, as indicated in Fig. 3; being of thesemi-conical shape indicated, and having grooves 19 therein which are curved'or offset substantially in the'manner shown for a purpose to be later described. The side walls of the grooves 19 are preferably flanged as indicated at20.

The grooves 19 are provided with inclined, offset inner portions 21 which connect at their inner ends with horizontally extending ooves 22 made in the sleeves 12 and'l3.

he grooves 22 in both of the sleeves are in horizontal alinement and are adapted to allow play of the pins engaged'therein which results from relative movement between the two cars. The outer ends of the grooves '19 in the cuffs 17 and 18 are flared, as;indi

cated at 23, to provide a wide mouth for engagingv and guiding into the grooves, pins 24 and 25 which project in substantially diametrically opposite directions from a on the threaded nuts 29 which are externally screw-threaded to receivethe heads 26 and The heads are freely revoluble on the nuts 29 and, as above referred to,

carry the pins 24 and 25 on which are' placed the ball bearing rollers 30 and '31. These rollers'cover theimajor portionsof their respective pins'andare adapted to engage the side'iianged walls. of the sleeves 19, 21 and 22, whereby to easethe passage of the pinsthrough the cuffsand sleeves.

However, small portionsfof the pins 24 and 25 at the inner ends thereof, adjacent the by the claw 32 on the other head 26..

The working faces of the claws 32 and 33 are curved' to conform to the curvature of the pins 24 and 25, and also to admit of the turning movement of the heads as the heads approach each other.

Each head carries a gasket 34 which proj ects beyond the outer face of the head and is arranged to come in contact with the gasket on the opposite head, the arrangement being such that when the heads are rotated and coupled together the gaskets 34 will be tightly compressed against each other,

7 and therebyinsure a leak-proof joint.

The springs 5 in the cylinders 1 and 2 provide for yieldingly maintaining these gaskets 34 in a compressed condition.

In use, when two cars are brought together, therollers 30 and 31 on the pins 24 and 25 are so arranged as to come within the scope of the flaring mouths 23 of the cufis and be guided thereby into the slots 19. hen the rollers on the pins arrive at the inclined offset portion 21 of the slots, the heads 26 and 27 will be caused to rotate in opposite directions, which is the means of engaging the pins 24 and 25 with the respective claws 32 and 33. After the rollers on the pins have arrived at the grooves or slots 22 in the sleeves 12 and 13, the heads 26 and 27 will be coupled together in the manner shown in Figs. 4 and 5, and the gaskets 34 tightly compressed, so that the coupling 'isquikly eflected and there is little likelihood of leakage. 7

As indicated in Fig. 1, therollers 30 and 31 on the pins 24 and 25 lie in the horizontal slots 22 in the sleeves 12 and 13 an appreciable distance back from the ends of the inclined portions 21, in order that relative movement between the parts may be compensated by the rollers sliding back and forth in the horizontal grooves 22 without incurring the possibility'of such rollers entering the inclined portions 21 which would serve to unlock or partially uncouple the heads 26 and 27 and admit of possible leak-' 1. In an automatic air and steamhose coupling, the combination of adjacent pipes to be coupled, enlarged cylinders surroundlng said pipes, said pipes having a slidable fit axially through said cylinders and adapted to project beyond the ends of the cylinders toward one anotheig the adjacent ends of the cylinders being in open communication with the atmosphere, means at the. open ends of the cylinders for providing a bearing through which the pipes'may slide, pistons having a loose fit in the cylinders, means on the pipes for engaging the outer sides of said pistons, the pistons being slidably fitted on the ipes, coiled spri gsin said cylinders normal y acting to force the pistons toward one another, sleeves extending from theadjacent ends of the cylinders toward one another, fiaring cults carried by the ends of the sleeves and being of substantially semicylindrical construction, said cufis being relatively ofi'set whereby to pass one another, said cufis'and sleeves having slots therein, portions of the slots being ofiset, said slots having flaring mouths at the ends of said cuffs, compressible gasket at the adjacent ends of the pipe adapted to be brought toexcept as may be required by the gether and compressed, radially extending pins carried by the ends of said pipes,; and hooks extending at right angles to the axis of said pins and carried by adjacent portions of the pipes for engaging about said pins, said hooks having curved bills to cause the drawing together of the pipes and the compression of the gaskets, substantially as described. 7 r V 2. In an automatic air and steam hose coupling, the combination of a pair ofaxially slidable pipes, compressible gaskets carried by the adjacent ends of said pipes and adapted to be brought together, radially extending pins carried by the ends of the pipes, hooks carried-by adjacent portions of the pipes and adapted to extend about said pins, raid hooks provided with curved bills adapted to cause the compression of the gaskets when the pipe sections are turned relatively, rollers carried by the outer portions of the pins, cylinders surrounding the pipe sections inwardly of their adjacent ends, spring- 7 means for normally forcing the pipe 'sections together, semi-cylindrical sleeves eX- tending toward one another from said cylinders and partially embraclng said plpes, semi-conlcal cuffs carried on the ends of sald sleeve and said cuffs and sleeves having offset slots therein adapted to receive said rollers and to cause the partial rotation of the pipes when moved together, substantially as described.

3. In an automatic air and steam hose coupling, the combination of a pair of relatively movable pipes extending in coaxial relation, gaskets carried at the adjacent ends of said pipes and adapted to be compressed when the pipes are brought together, rotatable heads carried by the adjoining ends of the pipes, radially extending pins projecting from diametricall opposit points on sald heads, hooks extending t right angles to Said pins and also carried at diametrically opposite points on said rotatable heads, said pins and hooks being axially offset, the hooks provided with curved bills taking about said pins when the heads are rotated to cause the heads to be drawn together and the gaskets compressed, cylinders of large diameter fixedly mounted and surrounding said pipes inwardly of their djoining ends, coil springs in said cylinders, )istOns in said cylinders loosely mounted over said pipes and acted on by said coil springs to move toward one another, means on the pipes engaged by said pistons to yieldingly hold the pipe t gether, bearing means on the inner open ends of said cylinders, emi-cylindrical sleeves in offset relation partially surrounding said pipes, semi-conical cuffs on the ends of said sleeves, said cuffs and sleeves having slots therein with offset portions in the cen- LEONARD LE BARON. ARTHUR C. HARRELL. 

